Observe the baby squirrel for the next six to eight hours of daylight. Has the mother returned to retrieve her baby? NOTE: Each animal's nutritional, housing, and handling requirements are very specific and must be met if the animal has any chance of survival.
Cow's milk and human milk replacers will make wild animals sick. Raising a wild animal in captivity is illegal in Virginia unless you have a state permit. For information on how you can become a permitted wildlife rehabilitator , contact the Wildlife Center of Virginia , the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries , or your state's wildlife agency.
Donate Now. Need wildlife assistance? Search form Search. The Wildlife Center of Virginia. Baby Squirrels. If you find a baby squirrel: Do any of the following apply to the squirrel? It is bleeding, has an open wound, or has a broken bone. It's been in a cat's or dog's mouth. It's covered in fly eggs [these look like small grains of rice].
It's cold, wet, or crying nonstop. If YES , the squirrel is likely injured or orphaned. They will shy away from the baby if they are chilled, so keeping them warm is the best you can do for them at this point. If you notice the likely mother come to the baby but then leave again, don't be discouraged. She knows where the baby is, has checked on its health, and has likely gone to forage for food or secure a new nest. Squirrels are only active during the day, so if the mother has not returned by dark, you can assume that she isn't able to.
If she could, she would have. She would not leave the baby on its own, even if a new nest were not ready to receive it. She would come back to check on and feed it at the very least. Before we move on to adopting and caring for the orphan you found, you might be able to reunite it with its mother by changing or reversing some human behaviors.
Construction and landscape projects often disrupt animal habitats. There's nothing wrong with maintaining your property, but you might find a litter of baby squirrels separated from their mother when you do so. Where did you find the baby squirrel? Was it near a tree you recently cut down? Was it under the porch where you recently applied a new lattice? Was it on your roof? Squirrels do not always create nests in trees. They will burrow or find a warm corner.
Nestling up against a house under a dark porch is quite cozy for a squirrel. A leafy gutter also makes a soft bed. If you've recently cleaned out your gutters or closed off an area with new fencing, consider reversing your steps for a time. Make a temporary leaf nest in the gutter and give the mother time to reclaim her young. Open the fence or latticework. If you cut down a tree, don't chop the wood or remove the brush right away. The mother will see that her chosen location is no longer suitable and will make a new nest elsewhere.
Once she's moved the babies to a new home, you can continue with your project. Being afraid of humans is a partly instinctual, partly learned behavior for squirrels.
Baby squirrels who can walk but are alone, will often overcome their fear and approach humans. They've even been known to follow people home or climb up a person's leg. It's an interesting, immensely heartwarming phenomenon, but it also shows how desperate the baby is. If they are willing to approach you for possible help, they have apparently been left alone for some time. Although mobile at six weeks old, a squirrel relies upon and stays with its mother until it is about 12 weeks old.
Younger babies cannot even begin to walk or gather food for themselves. Most of the time, the babies that you find will be newborns who haven't yet opened their eyes. Baby squirrels are docile enough that there is little danger of them biting you. They will generally accept you picking them up, handling them, and feeding them. If you have the time, caring for a baby squirrel can be an exceedingly rewarding experience. Using a soft cloth, gently pick up the baby and carry it indoors to a well-lit room with a sink.
You can also fill a bucket or large basin with warm water if you don't want to take it inside or into the central living area of the house. Caress the baby's face. It should move its head from side to side. If it doesn't, the baby might have a broken neck or spinal injury. Gently squeeze each paw and the tail. Watch how the baby reacts. It should pull away from the pressure. If it doesn't, or if the movement seems unnatural, it might have a broken leg or tail.
Next, mix some dish soap in warm water and bathe the baby. Use a soft washcloth to clean any cuts and brush away debris or parasites. Be sure to wash the nose and face. Clear the nostrils for natural breathing. Using a soft, wet cloth simulates a mother's tongue grooming the baby. Lastly, use a Q-tip to stimulate the baby squirrel's genital area and anus.
Doing so is often necessary for baby animals to release waste and would be a regular part of a mother's care. It might take a couple of minutes' worth of stimulation before the baby pees. You will need to keep stimulating the area until it is finished to ensure the baby empties its bladder. If a male squirrel does not start urinating at least a little amount within a couple of minutes, check for a swollen penis.
Baby squirrels suck on any nipple-like appendage and can sometimes cause a brother's penis to swell and scab over. If this is the case, soak the lower part of the squirrel's body in warm water for about 20 minutes to soften the scab. You can then wipe the scab off with the washcloth and allow it to release its urine.
If the baby has been alone for a significant amount of time, the urine might be more brown than clear, showing its degree of dehydration. If you suspect broken bones, find deep lacerations, or unable to stimulate urination, call a veterinarian for help.
Some vet offices see small rodents. Others can direct you to a wildlife specialist who might be able to help. If your cat caught the squirrel, it would need antibiotics to fight off infections received from the cat. Just as a cat scratch or bite can irritate your skin, feline germs and bacteria can be toxic to small animals.
The warm bath will have helped heat the baby up. It will drop again, though, as it dries. To keep the baby's core temperature up, place it in a box with a blanket bed. Cover the baby, even its head, and put the box on a heating pad or next to a heater. Check on the baby every 15 minutes. If you found more than one baby squirrel, place them next to each other for comfort and to share body heat.
The presence of a littermate will help the squirrel feel safe and relaxed. You can also hold the baby squirrel cupped between your hands or let it snuggle against your body for warmth.
Rehydration is often more important than food during the first day of care. You can use Pedialyte or mix half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of sugar in two cups of water and feed it to the squirrel with a feeding syringe. Pedialyte is more efficient than the water mixture, so if you can pick some up at the store, do so.
Look for the unflavored variety, but if you can't find it, squirrels will generally drink the flavored mixes as well. A feeding syringe does not have a needle, but an open, cone-shaped top. It is often used to administer oral liquid medications to animals. You can dip the top into the liquid, pull back on the plunger to fill the vial, and then press the plunger forward to drop or squirt the liquid into the squirrel's mouth.
To help the squirrel drink, place it upright in a sitting or position or as if it were standing on its hind legs. You can do this by mounting a blanket or towel around it or holding it in your hand. You don't want to give it liquid lying on its back as it might choke. If the baby squirrel is particularly wiggly, you might need to hold it to keep it still. It might also be helpful to use cotton gloves when handling the squirrel and to avoid washing them unless they become soiled with waste material.
The gloves will absorb the squirrel's scent and help it to feel safe and calm. Administer the liquid slowly. A squirrel that drinks too fast can choke and allow fluid to enter its nasal passages.
If the liquid starts coming out of its nose, turn it upside down to let the liquid to drain out entirely through the nose rather than flowing down into its lungs. You'll want to go slowly at first as the baby squirrel might be too weak to swallow much at a time. It might also be too small to drink very much during one sitting, so continue to offer the liquid about every half hour.
After every drinking period or at least once per hour, re-stimulate the squirrel's genitals. When the urine appears light yellow or clear, you can move on to more nutritious foods. Clean the baby's face and neck with a wet, warm cloth after every drinking period as the salt and sugar water can leave a sticky residue. Most animals need to feel safe and comfortable before they can turn their attention to eating or drinking. It's part of their survival instinct. Be safe first; then eat when they can.
If your baby squirrel doesn't seem to want to drink, try the following. Once you establish the right mood and bond with the baby squirrel, it will usually take liquid from you without hesitation. If the baby squirrel has done well with the syringe, you can graduate to a feeding bottle with elongated nipples. You might need to poke holes in these nipples. To do so, just pierce the nipple with a needle or toothpick and then boil the nipple with the needle or toothpick still in the hole.
Milk Replacer For those of you that are able to purchase milk replacer. Esbilac can safely be used on most mammals without difficulties. Mixing Formula: Mix 1 part Esbilac to 2 parts hot water. Let sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before first use, longer if possible is best. When first starting the Esbilac gradually add initial water to the formula for the first few feedings making the formula closer to full strength with each feeding. After 24 hours the animal should be on full strength formula.
Keep the formula refrigerated. The formula and electrolyte should always be warmed when feeding. For those that cannot find Esbilac we are recommending Ensure Vanilla Flavor as a very temporary solution. Ensure is usually available at grocery stores, pharmacies, Walmart, Target. Very Important! Do not use cow's milk for use on any baby mammal, it can cause death. Wildlife Rehabilitator List in Florida.
The information provided here is intended to help you with the initial steps to caring for a baby squirrel. We urgently recommend that the baby be taken to a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator immediately upon receiving the animal.
Most cases of baby animals that die on arrival to a rehabilitator is many times due to improper care given by the person that does not have the proper knowledge of hand-feeding small infant animals. This information is primarily here for the individual that absolutely cannot reach a rehabilitator.
If you can get to a rehabber than please just keep the baby in a warm place and out of reach from children and pets. When you handle these babies needlessly than you are risking their lives. In most States it is a requirement to be licensed to handle Wildlife. Thank you for caring. This information is to advise the public about what to do if they have found an orphaned or injured squirrel or other mammal. Please do not use this information for birds. Here you will find the basic steps to hand rearing a baby squirrel.
The information you will find here is extremely important and must be followed closely to insure a successful rearing. Please keep in mind that it is illegal in most states to have and hold any wildlife. You can be fined by your state for possession of wildlife. Proper food, nutrition, caging, and release is crucial for the animal. Rehabilitators have the experience and knowledge of what these babies need to become healthy and strong, and able to survive in the wild where they belong.
Wildlife is not meant to be housed with humans, or treated as pets. They have wild instincts that develop over time and they need the proper environment to help them prepare for this. These instructions absolutely are not meant for the purpose of raising pet squirrels. Squirrels are not domesticated and do not make good pets. Always wear gloves when handling wild babies. They can carry diseases and parasites and are also able to bite at a young age. If the animal is an injured adult, it may be safest for you to cover it with a laundry basket or box to protect it, but leave it where you found it, and then locate a rehabilitator or animal control operator to pick the animal up.
What to do first: Try to reunite the baby or babies with their mom. If you think the mother squirrel may still be in the area and you have a good idea where the nest is that the babies came from, you can give the mother the opportunity to retrieve the babies.
If a baby is sick, injured or cold the chances are that the mom will not come back to retrieve it. Fly eggs look like small yellow dots or flakes on the babies, and if left alone will develop into maggots. Babies with any fly eggs or maggots should not be left for their mom. They must be taken in and all the eggs removed immediately. If the babies are warm and healthy and there is a good chance that the mother may still be in the area, we recommend giving her about 2 hours to come back for the babies.
Place the babies in a box. You can place this box near the tree or area they came from. If the babies still have their eyes closed, they will need a heat source to help them keep warm. Even on hot summer days baby squirrels can get chilled quickly. A soda bottle filled with hot water and covered with a sock can be placed near the babies. Supervise the reunion attempt carefully but from a distance.
Make sure the babies are safe from natural predators such as cats, dogs, hawks, crows, and snakes. But you must also remain out of mom's sight, so that she feels safe coming for the babies. You can put them out in place as soon as the sun is up in the morning. If she is in the area she will start looking for them then. Here is a video of a baby squirrel crying. You can record this on you phone or play the video from your phone. Place the phone near the vicinity of the babies and play it.
This recording will attract mom and hopefully bring her back to her babies. You must stay out of site during this time. If possible shut the ringer off on your phone, luck usually has it that just about the time mom comes for the babies the phone will ring. When mom comes back and may take her a while to move all her babies to a new nest. Please be patient with her. Wearing your gloves, put the baby or babies in a box that has soft cloths such as old tee shirts in the bottom for snuggling in.
This box should be placed in a dark, warm and very quiet area indoors away from children and pets. The cloths will have to be changed often as they get soiled.
Terrycloth is not recommended for use. The baby should feel warm to the touch. If it feels cold, place a heating pad under half of the box. Set it on low. If you do not have a heating pad, you can use a hot water bottle wrapped in a tee shirt. You can make one by filling an empty soda bottle with hot water. Whatever heat source you use, keep checking the temperature to make sure the babies are kept warm and comfortable. While you are warming the baby you can examine him for any injuries.
Any bone breaks will have to be treated by a veterinarian. Open wounds must be washed thoroughly and dressed with an antibiotic cream. Listed below are common health problems you may come across. If you do encounter any of the listed circumstances below they will need to be taken care of right away. If possible, get the animal to a veterinarian or an experienced wildlife rehabilitator immediately. In case you cannot get the assistance you need, I have listed ways to help the animal.
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